Bob Turner’s Journey-Pioneering Black Baseball Player Faces Celebration and Adversity in 1960s Canada

Bob Turner’s Journey-Pioneering Black Baseball Player Faces Celebration and Adversity in 1960s Canada

In 1960, Bob Turner, a pioneering Black figure in Canadian sports, faced a dramatic shift from celebration to fear. That January, Turner, a former Negro League baseball player, was honored in Cornwall, Ontario, for his contributions to the local sports scene. Having escaped segregation in U.S. baseball, Turner was celebrated for his role in fostering […]

‘Epic Carnival Mas’ lifts Blue Jays on Caribbean Day

‘Epic Carnival Mas’ lifts Blue Jays on Caribbean Day

By Stephen Weir Toronto’s Caribbean Carnival festivities kicked off with a colourful celebration at the Blue Jays’ home game on Friday, July 26. This marked the third consecutive year that the team hosted a Caribbean-themed event at Rogers Centre. The evening began with a lively pregame ceremony featuring members of Epic Carnival Mas, who ran […]

Josh Gibson Crowned MLB Batting Champ

Josh Gibson Crowned MLB Batting Champ

Nearly 80 years after his passing, Josh Gibson, often dubbed the “Black Babe Ruth,” may now be recognized as “the greatest hitter in baseball history” following a significant decision by Major League Baseball (MLB) to incorporate Negro League players into its esteemed record books. For seven decades, the MLB enforced a discriminatory policy barring Black […]

José Bautista partners with Mary Brown’s Chicken

José Bautista partners with Mary Brown’s Chicken

Former Toronto Blue Jays star José Bautista is making a comeback, but this time it’s not on the baseball field—it’s in partnership with Mary Brown’s Chicken, heralding the return of its popular Batter’s Box menu item. Having already established a five-year sponsorship as an Official Partner of the Toronto Blue Jays and Official Chicken Restaurant […]

Carnival and cricket on Blue Jays’ home plate in May and July

Carnival and cricket on Blue Jays’ home plate in May and July

By Stephen Weir Attention carnival revellers who are also baseball enthusiasts, the Toronto Blue Jays are set to bring a pair of Caribbean special events to Rogers Centre with their much-anticipated 2024 Blue Jays Caribbean Carnival night at the baseball stadium. This marks the third consecutive year for the Blue Jays Caribbean Carnival, scheduled for […]

Saskatchewan celebrates their 1952 all-Black Indian Head Rockets baseball team

Saskatchewan celebrates their 1952 all-Black Indian Head Rockets baseball team

Inducts 91-year-old Nat Bates into Hall of Fame Late last year, a 20-minute documentary film was released. It is called Golden Opportunities, and it was about the Indian Head Rockets, an all-black team that was based in Indian Head, Saskatchewan, during the 1940s and 1950s. The film noted the popularity of baseball but also described […]

Nimmala drafted 20th overall by Toronto Blue Jays

Nimmala drafted 20th overall by Toronto Blue Jays

Arjun Nimmala, the 17-year old Florida high school short stop, was drafted 20th overall by the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday. Nimmala became the highest-selected first generation Indian American and is looking forward to become the first person of Indian descent to play Major League Baseball. He was one of the highest-touted high school hitters […]

Three Canadian brothers drafted into the MLB

Three Canadian brothers drafted into the MLB

There will be no “Naylors only” party in Cleveland, but the family of Guardians brothers Josh and Bo still has plenty to celebrate. Youngest sibling Myles, a 6-foot-2, 195-pound infielder from Mississauga, Ontario, was selected Sunday by Oakland with the 39th overall pick in the 2023 MLB Draft. Myles becomes the third Naylor brother from […]

Video game, film to immortalize the 1930’s black all-stars baseball team

Video game, film to immortalize the 1930’s black all-stars baseball team

  Reviving and celebrating Ontario history on the baseball field and in a video game! Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG), in partnership with Major League Baseball (MLB), is immortalizing the 1934 Chatham Coloured All-Stars – the first all-Black team to win an Ontario Baseball Association Championship – in a very unique way. OLG and […]

Black history in Alberta brought to life          

Black history in Alberta brought to life          

  A new online exhibit aims to demonstrate how learning Black history is essential to understanding the formation of Alberta. The new exhibit by Edmonton City as Museum Project explores the formation of Alberta’s Black communities from the late 1800s to the early 1970s. “What I want people to take away is the activism, the […]